Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?


I have just acquired a 32 year old JVC/Victor TT-101 DD turntable after having its lesser brother, the TT-81 for the last year.
TT-101
This is one of the great DD designs made at a time when the giant Japanese electronics companies like Technics, Denon, JVC/Victor and Pioneer could pour millions of dollars into 'flagship' models to 'enhance' their lower range models which often sold in the millions.
Because of their complexity however.......if they malfunction.....parts are 'unobtanium'....and they often cannot be repaired.
128x128halcro
It does seem odd that the owner of a business that thrives on selling used gear would make the statements about dd attributed to him by Henry or Henry's source. Based on the results of my Google search, those Denon chips seem to be available all over Hong Kong, if he would stick his head out of his door. C'est la vie.

This is what I was alluding to in the synth world- its a bid, based on fear, for a higher price- maybe for the cost of repair (replacing an 'expensive' chip that you don't have to replace, but get to make money on), being unwilling to admit to not being able to repair the unit, that sort of thing.

Bottom line is chip failure is the least of your concerns! They literally will be the least likely thing to fail.
Thanks Lewm. MY SP10s are rebuilt by Bill and at the time he informed me that the chips were also used in thousands of less expensive tables. I have no reason to doubt him and I've never seen a table this easy to live with that also outperforms anything else I've come across. I expect to pass my MKllls on to my children(assuming they want them).
Thanks guys.........particularly Lew and Ralph.
I did sleep better last night :^)
One Brought up to Spec Technics Sp10MkII - $1000

4 - 5 Inch high - One inch thick Stainless Steel Machined Legs - $48

One 5.2 inch high 4 " diameter solid Brass Arm Pod (Over 19 lbs) $200

Sound that competes with the big boys - priceless

For this kind of money and sonic enjoyment I will take my chances. thank you

FWIW - I had many discussions with the chap I bought my second SP10 MKII from. He has many of the them and other brands as well. When repairing and bringing them up to speed I remember him saying he replaces electronic parts with better ones if they are obselete. A mechanical problem with the motor itself would be a problem.

As Sonofjim said I expect mine to be passed on to my kids as well but in my case I don't think my kids will want them. They are 17 now and part of the convenience and portability generation. They dont need a dedicated room for their music.

Cheers
Dear Banquo, What I did point out is that the service manual of the TT101 is available on Vinyl Engine. With the service manual, a competent person can trace a problem to its source. That is the first step in the repair process. As to its possibly unobtainable chips, I would bet that like the ones we know about (Technics and Denon), Victor also used a family of parts that is common to several of their designs in that lineage. It might be a little more difficult to obtain the donor tt, for the Victor family, since so few of the best ones were exported, but it could be done, I would be bet. And then too we have the internet as an unprecedented way to find odd parts that our local distributor might say is "unobtainable". I would not be the least bit afraid to own a TT101, except I would prefer a TT801. Isn't that the very top of the line? Or is the TT101 uber?

Yes, after listening to my L07D, I suspect there is magic in coreless motors. Note that Brinkmann has chosen to use a coreless motor in its direct drive renaissance. But one can hardly make a firm conclusion based on one sampling, and I am sure motors with an iron core can sound great to. To wit, the SP10 Mk3. I have no idea about the NVS motor type or its speed control mechanism, except I think I read that they have eschewed the use of a servo.